Tail mounted push bar

[dongor2]

My fellow Americans,
I have an RV6 that I need to be able to push and pull around with a pull bar. I would like to know what is available and if the tail wheel spring bar is sturdy enough to move the plane around. My thinking is to design an aluminum clam shell device that clamps around the spring bar that has two "Frankenstien" posts on each side to slide a pull bar over. It would mount just ahead of the two bolts holding the swivel assembly. What do you all think? I have a friend with a CNC machine willing to cut billit for me. Also does W&B come into effect being so far back?

[Russ McCutcheon]

We just used a longer bolt for the axel and some spacers, this gives ?? or so sticking out each side of the tail fork then we can use a more traditional tow bar, we built ours but I hear there are some out there that work.

[flyinga]

I use a 6' nylon strap with a handle (2" PVC about a foot long) on one end and a hook from a motorcycle tiedown on the other end. Just place the hook over the tailwheel spring bar and pull it around backwards.

[dongor2]

OK thanks guys, so I take it we have enough strength at the spring bar? I have the TW pantalone and it screws to a backing plate so a longer axle bolt may not work in this case. I was also thinking of installing a longer vertical swivel bolt and then bolting on a t-bar reciever just under the nut but above the t plate that has the springs and chain connected to the rudder horn. Yes, no, maybe?

[vfrazier]

Check out the simple tow bar construction on this page: tow bar

For a few bucks worth of conduit and a few minutes of welding, you can have a rock solid tow bar that can push or pull the plane using the existing axle bolt and nut.